Boston Celtics agree to contract terms with Brandon Bass

The starting power forward will sign a three-year contract next week to return to the team after averaging 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds. The Celtics are waiting to see whether Ray Allen leaves to join the Miami Heat after visiting South Florida on Thursday.

The waiting game may be continuing for one important Celtics’ player, but is has ended for another one of them.

While guard Ray Allen contemplates his future, forward Brandon Bass has agreed to a three-year contract with the Celtics worth an estimated $20 million.

Bass, who opted out of the final year of his contract last month to become a free agent, will sign the new deal on Wednesday when the NBA moratorium is lifted.

Allen, meanwhile, visited the Miami Heat on Thursday as the soon-to-be 37-year-old free agent is deciding whether to leave the Celtics after five seasons.

He was supposed to meet with the Los Angeles Clippers today, but those plans have been altered.

Instead of pursuing the veteran, the Clippers have instead agreed to terms with free-agent guard Jamal Crawford, giving him the mid-level exception (starting at $5 million a year) that they were planning to offer Allen. They will also be bringing back guard Chauncey Billups, whose season ended due to an Achilles heel injury.

Bass came to the Celtics last December in a sign-and-trade with the Orlando Magic, who acquired free-agent Glen Davis and Von Wafer from Boston.

A key player off the bench in 20 games early in the season, Bass eventually moved into the starting lineup at power forward. He averaged 12.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in 32 minutes per game and gave the Celtics a consistent offensive option.

Bass was scheduled to earn a little more than $4 million in the upcoming season, but he had an option to get out of that deal and explore free agency.

Throughout the season, Bass made it clear that he was comfortable with the Celtics and wanted to stay in Boston.

Bass and point guard Rajon Rondo had good chemistry at the offensive end, and he also improved as a defender as the season went along. There were a handful of teams that talked to Bass this week, but he didn’t want to leave the Celtics after playing a prominent role in their run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The agreement with Bass means the Celtics have retained the starting lineup they were using at the end of the regular season and in the early part of the playoffs before Avery Bradley was hurt.

Kevin Garnett will re-sign after agreeing to a three-year contract and is joined by Bradley, Rondo, Bass and Paul Pierce.

Page 2 of 2 - The Celtics will sign Jason Terry next week and were said to be close to a deal earlier this week with free-agent Jeff Green. If Allen opts to return to the Celtics instead of going to Miami, the Celtics would have an impressive trio coming off the bench.

Allen has been offered a two-year, $6-million deal from the Celtics, and the Boston Herald has reported the team would give him a no-trade clause as well. Allen was nearly dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies last March and has been the subject of trade rumors the past few years.

The Heat, because of salary cap constraints, can offer Allen just about $3 million annually and they are reportedly willing to make it a three-year contract.

LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have been trying to lure Allen to Miami, where he would be coming off the bench.

Summer roster set: The Celtics will open the Orlando Summer League next Monday with a roster that includes first-round draft picks Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo and second-round pick Kris Jospeh.

They will be joined by JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore, who were rookies with the Celtics this past season, and Sean Williams, who finished the year on Boston’s roster. The other players scheduled to play for the Celtics are forwards Stephane Lasme (a UMass product) and Craig Brackins, plus guards Dionte Christmas, Jonathan Gibson and Jamar Smith.

There will be five games in Orlando next Monday through Friday and five more in Las Vegas beginning July 16.